With Reunion Weekend ahead at the University of Mary Washington, and hundreds of alumni set to return to their alma mater, nostalgia is in the air. And nothing says nostalgia at UMW like Devil-Goat Day, a unique tradition that’s unfolded on the Fredericksburg campus for nearly a century.
Way back in 1926, Mary Washington’s junior class, led by Professor of Education Eileen Kramer Dodd, claimed the goat as its symbol, according to University of Mary Washington, A Centennial History by Professor Emeritus William B. Crawley. Not to be outdone, the seniors chose their own symbol – a devil – and the good-natured rivalry began.
Much like UMW’s student body, the tradition has evolved through the years, eventually becoming an afternoon of field day-type events with wheelbarrow races and limbo contests. Additions in the 1990s included a pie-eating competition, a Velcro wall climb and tug-of-war battles. Now filled with inflatables and carnival-style games, the uniquely UMW tradition returned to Ball Circle this year, bringing the center of campus to life and delivering a well-deserved respite for students preparing for final exams.
University of Mary Washington sophomore Makayla Bowman struck a proud pose when she shot out of the “Toxic Drop.” “Oh my gosh, it’s wonderful,” Bowman said of the sprawling inflatable obstacle course … and the event, an annual high-energy contest of school spirit pitting first-year students and juniors against sophomores and seniors to collect the most points for participation and wins.
Bowman, an anthropology and historic preservation double major with a minor in museum studies, had a short walk from her Virginia Hall room to the hub of activity, packed with free T-shirts and food, inflatable rides and carnival-style games, and plenty of good-natured rivalry.
First-year student Kaitlyn Levine said she’d seen Instagram pictures from last year’s competition – held on Jefferson Square due to an underground utilities project temporarily disrupting Ball Circle – said she came for the fun but also the T-shirt. “I told all my friends, ‘all I want in life is that shirt,’” said Levine, who, dressed in her new “Devils” top, lasted 15 seconds on a ride that resembled a mechanical bull, besting her competition.
More than 800 students turned out for the late-April event organized by Class Council, forming long lines for games like the Gladiator, Balloon Blast and Kapow Obstacle Maze. They made their own fun, as well, playing football, practicing cheerleading stunts, showing off their hula hoop skills and taking turns tunneling under a colorful parachute, while music pumped through the space.
Spurred on by the sportsmanship feel of the day, sophomore biomedical major Isaiah Jackson said he was glad to see the competition back in the middle of campus. “Ball Circle makes people happy,” he said.
Junior Will Thompson, who’d just won a bid for Student Government Association president, said he plans to help perk up student engagement in his new role, with outings like Devil-Goat Day that bring campus together. “There’s a community feel,” said Thompson, an international business major and political science minor who also plays soccer. “Everyone just enjoys being around each other.”
In the end, the Devils won the epic tug-of-war battle and walked away as the top-scoring team … until next year when Devil-Goat Day happens all over again.
